Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Cerchi - Florence
The church of Santa Margherita de "Cerchi is a small church in the historic center of Florence. Dedicated to St. Margaret of Antioch, the name also refers to the family of Cerchi, which from 1353 held the patronage of the  small church, at the beginning along with Donati and Adimari, then from the seventeenth century in an exclusive  way. Recalled since 1032, the building was remodeled several times in later centuries. The Church of SantaÂMargherita is also considered the church of Dante, in fact according to the tradition he married here Gemma  Donati (according to other sources, the marriage took place in nearby San Martin) and in the same church he knew  his beloved Beatrice Portinari, whose family had their tombs here. A painting, located just to the right after  entry, of a nineteenth century by an English painter recalls this meeting. It is not likely the hypothesis thatÂ
here is buried the same Beatrice, because being married with a Donati his grave should be in the grave of her  husband"s family, located in the Great Cloister of Santa Croce. This church is home to the Venerable Company of  Cooks and is dedicated to St. Paschal Baylon, patron of the universal cooks where, before the high altar is  still visible the historic tomb of the company. San Pasquale is credited with the invention of the invigoratingÂ
"eggnog."
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